Bhopal named host of the next Army Day parade as the Army moves the event beyond Delhi

State Focus Madhya Pradesh Defence Defence & Security

Bhopal named host of the next Army Day parade as the Army moves the event beyond Delhi

26 October 2026

The Army Day parade of 2027 will be held in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, officials announced on 26 October. Army Day falls on 15 January every year. It recalls 15 January 1949, when General K M Cariappa took over command of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief. Once held only in Delhi, the parade has moved around in recent years: Bengaluru in 2023, Lucknow in 2024, Pune in 2025 and Jaipur in 2026. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had announced the plan after meeting Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. Curtain-raiser events began on 1 November, the state's Foundation Day, under the 'Meri Maati' campaign.

Host city, 2027: Bhopal Army Day: 15 January Previous host, 2026: Jaipur Army Chief: General Upendra Dwivedi

Why it matters for exams: Army Day (15 January), General K M Cariappa as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief and the rotating parade venues are common defence questions.

Kerala PSCUPSCSSC

26 October 2026 Source: ThePrint (PTI)

In plain words

Commander-in-Chief — Head of the Indian Army until 1955, when the post was renamed Chief of the Army Staff.

Meri Maati — A campaign gathering soil from all districts, used for Madhya Pradesh's Army Day curtain-raiser.